The Prevalence of Serum Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibodies in Preeclampsia and Eclampsia

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of antineutrophil cytopasmic autoantibodies (ANCAs) in preeclampsia and eclampsia.

Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 26 mildly preeclamptic, 26 severely preeclamptic, and 20 eclamptic, and 20 normal pregnant women (controls) in the late third trimester for the determination of serum cytoplasmic pattem ANCA (cANCA) and perinuclear pattem ANCA (pANCA) by the corresponding enzyme immunoassay.

Results: Significant elevations of serum cANCA and pANCA were found in mild and severe preeclampsia and eclampsia. The extent of rise correlated well with the severity of the disease. Both ANCAs were detected in 80% of eclamptic cases versus 38.5 and 69.3% of mild and severe preeclampsia, respectively. Marked elevations of serum ANCAs were associated with poor fetal outcome.

Conclusion: ANCAs may be involved in the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis in preeclampsia and eclampsia and their presence may be attributed to an autoimmune mechanism initated by autoantibodymediated activation of neutrophils.

Keywords

Serum ANCAs preeclampsia eclampsia

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